Ahead of Cross River North Senatorial Bye-Election, a leading senatorial aspirant under the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Dr Stephen Odey, Wednesday, assured electorates of the five local government areas that make up the senatorial district to bring the long awaited change within one year.
Odey gave the assurance while speaking to his supporters under the auspices of Dr Stephen Odey For All Support Group, Abuja Chapter, where he explained why he had decided to serve his people at the senate and would make sure condition of the electorates is transformed.
He said: “I am overwhelmed by the love you have demonstrated here and the sacrifices you have made to come here to see me that alone is a plus. A lot of persons that are here have met with me before in one place or their other but a lot of persons do not know the personality of Stephen Odey.
“I am a practical man, I am not a story teller, give me one year and you will see that the record will never be the same. I am from Yala Local Government Area, from a minority group but with a majority brain; the reason is this, I have taken the pains to look at the problems bedeviling our people.
“I grew up in the village, I schooled in the village up to my PhD level and my Law Degree, all in the village, I will go to school and come back to the village. I know the problems of the people, I live among them, I know what it takes to sell groundnut, Garri, upland rice and all that to train us, so I know the pains.
“If there is anything that prompted me to go to school to attain the level of education I have, it is because of the background I came from.”
He also added that his office will be wide open for people from his senatorial district, Cross River State and non-Cross Riverians.
“I have work with Gov Ayade for four years in that office when he was in the Senate, I participated drafting some of his motions and bills, I think he has one of the highest bills when we were there.
All his constituency projects, I was the one following it up, as a man who already knows the road, do you think I am going to learn anything?
“That is why I am urging you to support me you won’t have difficulties in accessing the National Assembly. The time has come when somebody will give you a recommendation letter and will not mind to drive down to that minister’s office”, he said.
Meanwhile, the PDP stalwart gave scorecard of his performance as a political appointment under the Ayade-led administration, and promised to surpass his present impact and achievement.
“If Governor Ayade has made me what I am, I have the potential to make some of you because we are one united family. My activity in SUBEB, I came out clean and the records are there; in Yala LGA alone in the history of politics, I am the first person to have generated over 480 jobs and core Yala speaking, 270 jobs.
“I am the only person who came to St Joseph Primary School,Okuku, and built without the Chief coming to look for me with goats and other gifts. SUBEB has been there, we have Chairmen from Yala before me but I came and changed the story.
“SUBEB has been there, we have Chairmen from Yala before me but I came and changed the story. So everybody talks about SUBEB, I am just the Chairman, I do not sit at the State Executive Council but like I said, I am a minority with a majority brain.
“I turned SUBEB around and today people are killing themselves to become Chairman of SUBEB”, he said.
Meanwhile, the Media Coordinator, Stephen Odey For All Support Group, Abuja Chapter , Ebriku John Friday, expressed confidence that Osdey’s emergence will be a good omen for the people of Cross River North Senatorial District based on his current achievements.
“We have been watching him closely and have been taking note of the great impact he has been making in Cross River State.
“As a Chairman of SUBEB he changed that particular body that takes care of education. Under his leadership Dr Stephen has been able to create 4, 000 jobs in the whole of Cross River State, and in Cross River North he wants to run and go for Senate created 2, 000 jobs.
“He has been able to renovate dilapidated school buildings and furnished them with plastic desk, built teachers’ capacity.
“Also within that period the Governor brought the State Water Board that was moribund, and with his capacity and ability to perform changed the narrative and water stated flowing in taps across the state.
“So we have seen these achievements and others believe that as an academician, someone who is a proven administrator, a lawyer and a PhD holder, and has the pedigree to deliver dividends of democracy and quality representation”, Friday stated.
